For the past 13 years, we have had had the great privilege of guiding the Deep Wilderness Experience for the Wild Gift, a local non profit dedicated to supporting better world entrepreneurs through mentor-ship, project funding and instilling a deep ethic of the wild. Each year, a class of recipients (known as Gifters) is selected from an ever growing pool of inspirational applicants who have begun social and environmental ventures. The 2016 class included 5 Gifters with varied and amazing projects across the globe and all related to this year’s theme on Climate Change including:
Dr. Arun Gupta: Who is developing ground breaking solar panels with his company, Skyven Technologies designed to capture thermal energy used to heat, process foods and for industrial applications.
Bryce Andrews: Rancher, writer and deep thinker, Bryce is beginning a non-profit educational institution: Swallow Tail Foundation, dedicated to critical evaluation of how to better ranching and farming in the West.
Tsechu Dolma: Growing up in a Tibetan refugee camp in Nepal, Tsechu Dolma recognized the need for developing sustainable solutions for the mountain people of the Himalaya. Her venture, the Mountain Resiliency Project , is dedicated to creating viable communities in these rugged and remote landscapes.
Sam Teicher: Has founded a company: Coral Vita, dedicated toward restoring threatened coral reefs by growing and replanting local endangered corals on degraded reefs worldwide.
Alex Wankel: Has begun a new social enterprise, Pachukuti Foods, to create markets for rare Andean superfoods while supporting farmers and protecting agro-biodiversity. Alex strives to tap into the huge potential of rare and underutilized crops by creating innovative new products that are uniquely natural, delicious, healthy, and good for the world.
Enjoy these pictures of our 18 days trekking deep in the wilds of Idaho with SVT guide, Joe St.Onge, and Wild Gift Facilitator, Raj Vable, and click on the links above to find out more about the Wild Gift and these phenomenal ventures:
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Tsechu, always smiling
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Reflection on the day
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morning Yoga
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Lake contemplation
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Unbridled Joy!
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Long shadow trek
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Climbing toward the magical land of peaks, lakes and the ancient White Bark Pines in the White Cloud Mountains
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Climbing toward the last rays of sun
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8 hours into an 11 hour trek on day 6
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2 legs and a pack among ancient sea beds and a living rock rock glacier at 11,000′
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heading toward “Cheese Grater” pass
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Morning yoga
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Tsechu, bargaining with the bars
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Each evening, ideas related to the wild, entrepeneurship and making of a better worls were shared, discussed and debated
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The “Board Room” at Sapphire Lake
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Focus on the final climb to the pass
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Entering the Chamberlain Basin
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Adrift in thought
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The 1st steps up into the Boulder Mountains
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Stoked to make the pass, Castle Peak in the background
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Serene beauty in it’s natural form
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Sharing humor
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Evening light
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Our 1st trail sign in 16 days was found at the very end of our trek, how fitting.
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Climbing above Cirque Lake
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Looking toward the peak ahead
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Clean lines in the White Clouds
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Bryce, siesta at the 1st pass
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Lunch break siesta on a big day
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Summit Stoke!
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Taking a break on the loose descent off the pass
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Sam collapses under his book
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Foot wash mid day
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presenting new ideas
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Tsechu, feeling the air beneath her feet
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The magic of a secluded camp deep in the mountains
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Alex, grazing on route
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the team, deep.
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YES!
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The rock glacier above Cirque Lake is one of the few living glaciers left in Idaho
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mmm, a swim and then a some fish for dinner…
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Alex, feeling the immensity of it.
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Yahoo, the team atop the summit!
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Straight from the source, Tsechu fills a bottle from the snout of a rock glacier
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Summit brain storm
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Sunset/moonrise
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a point in nature
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Arun, psyched to to be high and exposed
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morning beauty
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The team after crossing the last of 7 passes on the route
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The team atop Cheese Grater
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We began the trek at Coyote Yurt, deemed the “air lock”, serving as the acclimatization zone for the wild ahead
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Climbing from one place of magic to another
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Pass #3
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Most mornings began with yoga and/or a meditation
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Arun, lunch contemplation
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Gazing toward our home for the night
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Arun, enjoying the exposure
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Sam likes his fish al dente
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The team, heading for the Peak!
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Pass #4
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The beauty of each camp was unique
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Wild, Sublime, Beauty
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Rugged country, no trail and lots of potential
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Sam, adrift in the wild
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Arun, enjoying an alpine bath
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Castle Peak Board Room
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The team, above Boulder Chain Lakes
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Boulder hopping between the Boulder Chain Lakes
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heading for the summit of D.O. Lee Peak
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Joe, employing a rope for the descent
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Castle Peak
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Dropping down into the Boulder Chain lakes
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Blazing their own trails, Bryce and Sam point the way toward the future
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Bryce, in his element
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Many fish were caught, providing tasty nutrition along the trek.
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Camp at sunset
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Loving the exposure high on the peak
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The team, atop White Cloud Peak #9
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Climbing the final granite slabs toward the “Cheese Grater” pass
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Contemplating the wild, deep in the Boulder Mountains
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Climbing out of Little Boulder Basin
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The Doctor, back in his element
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Joe and Bryce discussing options for the day ahead
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Heading over into Karma Basin on the dark side of the Boulder Mountains
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